In the early days of the pandemic, many businesses struggled to adjust. In recent years, newspaper readership and advertising revenues were already on the decline nationally due to a changing media landscape. When COVID-19 affected the Gorge economy, businesses were forced to shut their doors, people were asked to stay home, and advertising revenues shrank. Three community newspapers in the Gorge: The Hood River News, The Dalles Chronicle and White Salmon Enterprise — all owned by Eagle Newspapers, Inc. — were closed at the end of March, 2020.

Chelsea Marr, publisher of the Hood River News and The Dalles Chronicle, was offered the opportunity to purchase the publications. To continue printing and save costs during the economic downturn, Marr consolidated the three publications into one regional news source, and named the paper the Columbia Gorge News. The newspaper has been printing once a week since April 2020, providing a critical news source in the community and bringing back 12 full and part-time staff.

“First off, we lost our local newspapers and our jobs. The upside, I was able to keep a newspaper going in our communities,” Marr relayed. “The model changed, because of COVID-19, but it provided the opportunity for us to keep going in a new and exciting way.”

The Port of Hood River worked with Marr to find more affordable office space for the Columbia Gorge News, now located next to the DMV at the Marina Park 2 Building. “We learned that communities in the Gorge are much closer than we once realized and the impact of each affects us all in one way or another. We’ve had to work with less as a business but find it has been enough.”

Marr feels if you enjoy what you do, it shows in your work. “I know that all of us at Columbia Gorge News enjoy what we do, and this shows in the work we provide to our communities,” she added. The printed newspaper is a beloved pastime for many Gorge residents and Marr shared that it’s gained a resurgence with the younger generation. In addition to its print edition, the Columbia Gorge News maintains a news website and social media platforms to be a trusted and reliable news source every day.

The three community newspapers were each published in their respective communities for more than 100 years. The magnitude of history, bound volumes, clippings and photographs are now being preserved at local museums in each community. “I am looking forward to continuing to make history for our communities through Columbia Gorge News,” Marr said.